What Are the 5 best Woulda Shoulda fights that Coulda but weren't ?

If you want a modern times, Mayweather vs. Mosely.

 

A lot of Dempsey fights, and to add to that...

Foreman vs Tyson
Foreman vs Holmes
Robinson vs Burley
Marciano vs Patterson (Had Rocky not retired)

 

It might still happen, but it would have been better before Floyd's "retirement".

 

You know what, I think you could be right but I still would of liked to see it, particularly Eubank. Eubank fought some stinkers but I think he needed a big fight to bring out his best, Toney would of done that.

 

Since I've read through the thread and seen many of my preferred matchups already mentioned, I thought I'd get a little eclectic after my first choice (a well established old favorite of mine).


Jerry Quarry-George Foreman

It's one thing for George today to say he purposely avoided Jerry, but neither did he demonstrate any great enthusiasm for such a meeting in the late 1960s and early 1970s when asked about it in post fight interviews. Quarry absolutely should have gotten the title shot which went to Roman in Tokyo. Even if Foreman repelled this challenge, it might have better prepared him for Ali than the blowouts of Frazier, Roman and Norton did. George wasn't the kind of fighter who opened up cuts, and he would have held no surprises or edge in intimidation for a challenger who had previously decked him in sparring. (Foreman-Bonavena is another one I would have liked to see.)


Alfredo Escalera-Sammy Serrano
Alexis Arguello-Sammy Serrano

Overshadowed by Arguello and Escalera, filthy cutie Serrano won 15 WBA SFW championship bouts. Any title unification match during the late 1970s would have been a major coup for whoever the winner was, and it's astounding to me that this only happened at 160 and 135. Styles make fights, and Serrano may not have been the easy conquest most take it for granted he would have been. If anybody could have made Arguello really mad in the ring, it would have been Sammy.


Pryor-Mancini

After the Hawk's rematch win over Arguello, Boom-Boom was the only potential matchup readily available which might have rekindled his fire. Both wanted it, yet it somehow never got done.



Eddie Mustafa Muhammad-James Scott II.

While Eddie was more than willing to defend his WBA Title in a rematch at Rahway, Scott foolishly replied, "Well, God bless his heart, but who I really want is Saad Muhammad, the hypocrite!" At that point in time, the WBA still ranked Scott as a top contender, whereas the WBC never recognized him as an inmate. Shortly thereafter, the WBA also removed Scott from their ratings.

If Scott had accepted a shot at Eddie, we would have seen a highly motivated talent eager for a chance at redemption going into a lion's den against a widely avoided former conquerer. Had Scott somehow managed to dethrone Eddie, then maybe he could have gotten Matt into a unification bout. (Matt and Eddie became very close as co-champions, and had no interest in rematching each other to consolidate their titles.)


JT already mentioned these next two, and I'm seconding his opinion here.

Mike Spinks-Eddie Mustafa Muhammad II, for the title.

The time for this to come off was right after Eddie squashed Mwale. As would have been the case in a rematch with Scott, Eddie would have been extremely motivated to avenge his loss to Mike.


Eddie Mustafa Muhammad-Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Assuming Eddie's in shape and properly motivated, it would have been extremely interesting to see how he dealt with Ike's peculiar and innovative style.


Danny Lopez-Wilfredo Gomez

Before Sanchez came out of nowhere to shock the world, a super fight showdown between Little Red and Gomez was very highly anticipated. Sal was sensational in dispatching Gomez, but it must also be said that Wilfredo may have taken him too lightly, and might not have been in peak condition. For Danny, he definitely would have been. Gomez could not have won by taking the sort of abuse Pintor subjected him to, and prime Lopez only needed one punch against anybody not named Sanchez.


Roberto Duran-Edwin Viruet III in the summer of 1978 for the undisputed lightweight championship (shortly after Duran decisioned Adolfo Viruet).


Duran hated the Viruets so much that he definitely would have gotten himself under the lightweight limit one more time to get another crack at Ed. This match was actually sold to the public when they were all waiting in the ring for the announcement of the scoring after Roberto and Adolfo had at it, when Stonehands walked up to Ed and punched him in the mouth.

Ed had just retired seasoned and elusive contender Josue Marquez via a tenth round knockout, so he certainly hadn't lost his edge. (Only De Jesus had ever stopped Marquez, and he needed over 46 rounds covering three fights to do it.) Of course Duran would have beaten him again, but knocking Ed out would have been a matter of pride.

Most of Duran's critics in the late 1970s were citing his difficulties with the Viruet brothers as evidence that he was being overrated, and the general public knew Ed for his big mouth and heat with Roberto. Ed wouldn't need Don King's help in promoting this. NOBODY could insult Duran like Ed. He teased the pit bull and got away with it. I'd pay money to see them in the ring today. (Yeah, I know that car crash ended Duran's career, but I suspect he'd love the chance to bash in Ed's face again. Ed has the sort of face that begs to be punched.

 

Larry Holmes vs Pinklon Thomas
Holmes vs Norton rematch
Holmes vs Weaver II
Holmes vs Coetzee
Holmes vs Page
Holmes vs Big John Tate
Holmes vs Mike Dokes
Holmes vs Spoon/Williams II

Lewis vs Bowe/ PRO
Tyson vs Holyfield 1991
Mayweather/Mosely
Jones/ Darius Mikaleski
Calzage/Jones / pre-Tarver
Cooney/Weaver
Duran/Pryor

 

Floyd Mayweather Jr Vs Kostya Tszyu (2005)
Sugar Ray Leonard Vs Arron Pryor
Roberto Duran Vs Alexis Arguello
Mike Tyson Vs Lennox Lewis (1996)
Thomas Hearns Vs Mike McCallum

 

duran-pryor

someone is bound be get destroyed

 

Yeah, and it wouldn't have been Duran.

 

I'll second Foreman-Bonavena, which I think was what Norton-Quarry replaced.

Ali-Bobick in May '77, instead of Ali-Evangelista & Norton Bobick.

I also think Ali-Patterson II in '67 was discussed.

Weaver-Cooney, late '81.

Ellis-Cooper, as scheduled in '69.

Cooney-Bugner, which I seem to remember being announced around '81.

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Just looked at the thread title. These certainly aren't the BEST woulda-shoulda-couldas, but they are interesting to this fan of heavyweight history.

 

Little Red/Arguello at 126: they were WBC and WBA world titlsists together for about 1 month before AA vacated.

Duran/Arguello: you all know the story.

Leonard/Pryor; SRL would have stomped Pryor, and I would not have to periodically refute the preposterous internet myth that surrounds this.

 

Klitschko - Klitschko!

 

:rofl :deal

 

I always thought that would've been an interesting one.

Cooney stood a good shot at blowing him out early, but if he didn't, Weaver might've come on too strong for him. I think Cooney's team may have sensed that danger as well, which is why they ultimately chose not to risk his ranking and wait for the Holmes megafight. Still, I think a fight with Weaver was exactly what Cooney needed to grow as a fighter - some experience against a live contender/titleholder (as opposed to corpses), before he moved to the next level.

 

You guys talking about Cooney - Weaver reminded me of a great card in 1981 that didn't come off because of some kind of scandal (I forget the details). Anyway, the card was supposed to have: Cooney - Norton, Saad Muhammed - Mustafa Muhammed, Arguello - Kenty, Hearns - Benitez, Wilfredo Gomez - Mike Ayala. Would've been an amazing card and definitely Saad and Mustafa was "woulda shoulda".